Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and their metabolites regulate numerous activities in vivo, including inflammation, disease resistance, platelet function and vessel wall contractions. Moreover, supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids and/or gamma-linolenic acid present in the diet of animals and humans are reported to have favorable effects on heart disease, inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, diabetes, renal disease, cancer, and immunity as well as learning, visual acuity and neurological function.
On a cellular level long chain omega-3 fatty acids are readily incorporated into the phospholipid fraction of cell membranes where they influence membrane permeability/fluidity and transport. This represents a storage form of these fatty acids, where they remain until acted upon by phospholipase enzymes which release them for further conversion to eicosanoids.
Linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids are C18-containing fatty acids that are parent compounds of the omega-6 and omega-3 families of fatty acids, respectively. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids undergo unsaturation (i.e., adding double bonds) and sequential elongation from the carboxyl end (i.e., adding 2-carbon units) with the D6-desaturase enzyme being the rate limiting enzyme in metabolism of these long chain fatty acids. The same enzymes are used for these families, making the families antagonistic to one another. Such antagonism, resulting from requirements for the same enzymes, extends into the further metabolism of the C20-containing members of these families into metabolites called eicosanoids.
The polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, differ from the other fatty acids in that they cannot be synthesized in the body from saturated or monounsaturated fatty acids, but must be obtained in the diet. The omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, is found in high quantities in vegetable oils such as corn, cottonseed, soybean, safflower and sunflower oil. The omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid, is found in high quantities in flaxseed oil, linseed oil, perilla oil and canola oil. Other important compounds include arachidonic acid, found in animal fat; gamma-linolenic acid, found in evening primrose oil, borage oil, and blackcurrant oil; and eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid derived from fish oils and algae. These long-chain fatty acids can be formed in the body by elongation and desaturation of the parent linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids if the parent compounds are supplied in the diet.
Applicants have discovered that supplementation of the diet of animals with polyunsaturated fatty acids, including omega-3 fatty acids, derived from algal sources or from non-algal sources having a high docosahexaenoic acid content, results in positive effects for the offspring of the animal when the mother is fed these compositions containing fatty acids. Interestingly, these compositions cause positive effects for the offspring including increased intestinal transport and increased growth performance, including an increase in growth rate, a reduced feed to weight gain, and an increase in the efficiency of feed utilization.
Methods and compositions for increasing intestinal transport of nutrients in an offspring an animal are described herein. In one embodiment, a method of increasing intestinal transport of nutrients in an offspring of an animal is provided. The method comprises the steps of administering to the animal a feed composition comprising an algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the feed composition as a final mixture comprises about 0.01% to about 60% by weight of the algal composition and wherein the animal is a gestating sow, a postpartum sow, another species of agricultural animal, a companion animal, or a human, and increasing intestinal transport in the offspring of the animal.
In accordance with this embodiment, the algal composition can be in the form of dried algae or an oil derived from the algae and the omega-3 fatty acids can comprise C22 or C20 omega-3 fatty acids. Also in accordance with this embodiment, the feed composition as a final mixture can comprise about 0.01% to about 3.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 4.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.8% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.3% by weight, about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 18% by weight, about 0.01% to about 20% by weight, about 0.01% to about 30% by weight, about 0.01% to about 40% by weight, about 0.01% to about 50% by weight, or about 0.01% to about 60% by weight of the algal composition.
Also in accordance with this embodiment, the feed composition as a final mixture can further comprise omega-6 fatty acids or esters thereof, the feed composition can be administered during lactation, gestation, or daily to the animal, the feed composition as a final mixture can further comprise an antioxidant, the omega-3 fatty acids in the feed composition can be stabilized by encapsulation, the omega-3 fatty acids can comprise docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, and the omega-3 fatty acids can comprise docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosapentanoic acid. Further in accordance with this embodiment, the ratio of docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid can be about 60:1, about 30:1, about 28:1, about 25:1, about 20:1, about 15:1, about 10:1, about 5:1, or about 2:1 the species of agricultural animals can be selected from the group consisting of a chicken, a horse, a pony, a cow, a turkey, a pheasant, a quail, an ovine animal, a goat, an ostrich, and a duck, and the companion animal can be selected from the group consisting of a canine species and a feline species.
In yet another embodiment, a method of increasing intestinal transport of nutrients in a piglet is provided. The method comprises the steps of administering to the piglet a feed composition comprising an algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the algal composition comprises docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid and the docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in the algal composition is about 30:1 to about 1:1, and increasing intestinal transport in the piglet.
In accordance with this embodiment, the algal composition can be in the form of dried algae or an oil derived from the algae, or residuals from dried algae or algal oils, and the omega-3 fatty acids can comprise C22 or C20 omega-3 fatty acids. Also in accordance with this embodiment, the feed composition as a final mixture can comprise about 0.01% to about 3.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 4.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.8% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.3% by weight, about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 18% by weight, about 0.01% to about 20% by weight, about 0.01% to about 30% by weight, about 0.01% to about 40% by weight, about 0.01% to about 50% by weight, or about 0.01% to about 60% by weight of the algal composition.
Also in accordance with this embodiment, the feed composition as a final mixture can further comprise omega-6 fatty acids or esters thereof, the feed composition can be administered daily to the animal, the feed composition as a final mixture can further comprise an antioxidant, the omega-3 fatty acids in the feed composition can be stabilized by encapsulation, and the omega-3 fatty acids can further comprise docosapentanoic acid. Further in accordance with this embodiment, the ratio of docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid can be about 30:1, about 28:1, about 25:1, about 20:1, about 15:1, about 10:1, about 5:1, or about 1:1.
In still another embodiment, a method of increasing intestinal transport of nutrients in the offspring of an animal is provided. The method comprises the steps of administering to the animal a feed composition comprising a non-algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in the non-algal composition is about 30:1 to about 1:1 and wherein the animal is a species of agricultural animal other than swine, a companion animal, or a human, and increasing intestinal transport in the offspring of the animal.
In accordance with this embodiment, the omega-3 fatty acids can comprise C22 or C20 omega-3 fatty acids. Also in accordance with this embodiment, the feed composition as a final mixture can comprise about 0.01% to about 3.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 4.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 1.0% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.8% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 0.3% by weight, about 0.1% to about 0.5% by weight, about 0.01% to about 18% by weight, about 0.01% to about 20% by weight, about 0.01% to about 30% by weight, about 0.01% to about 40% by weight, about 0.01% to about 50% by weight, about 0.01% to about 60% by weight, about 0.01% to about 70% by weight of the algal composition.
Also in accordance with this embodiment, the feed composition as a final mixture can further comprise omega-6 fatty acids or esters thereof, the feed composition can be administered during lactation, gestation, or daily to the animal, the feed composition as a final mixture can further comprise an antioxidant, the omega-3 fatty acids in the feed composition can be stabilized by encapsulation, and the omega-3 fatty acids can further comprise docosapentanoic acid. Further in accordance with this embodiment, the ratio of docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid can be about 25:1, about 20:1, about 15:1, about 10:1, about 5:1, or about 2:1, the species of agricultural animals can be selected from the group consisting of a chicken, a horse, a pony, a cow, a turkey, a pheasant, a quail, an ovine animal, a goat, an ostrich, and a duck, and the companion animal can be selected from the group consisting of a canine species and a feline species.
In another illustrative embodiment, a method of increasing the growth performance of an offspring of an animal is provided. The method comprises the steps of administering to the animal a feed composition comprising an algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the algal composition comprises docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid and the docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in the algal composition is about 60:1 to about 1:1 and wherein the animal is a gestating sow, a postpartum sow, another species of agricultural animal, a companion animal, or a human, and increasing the growth performance of the offspring of the animal. In another embodiment, the growth performance is selected from a group consisting of an increased growth rate of the offspring, a reduced feed to weight gain ratio for the offspring, and an increase in the efficiency of feed utilization.
In another aspect, a method is provided of increasing the growth performance of an offspring of an animal. The method comprises the steps of administering to the animal a feed composition comprising an algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the feed composition as a final mixture comprises about 0.01% to about 60% by weight of the algal composition and wherein the animal is a gestating sow, a postpartum sow, another species of agricultural animal, a companion animal, or a human, and increasing the growth performance of the offspring of the animal. In one aspect, the growth performance is selected from a group consisting of an increased growth rate of the offspring and a reduced feed to weight gain ratio for the offspring.
In yet another embodiment, a method is provided of increasing the growth performance of an offspring of an animal. The method comprises the steps of administering to the animal a feed composition comprising a non-algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in the non-algal composition is about 30:1 to about 1:1 and wherein the animal is a species of agricultural animal other than swine, a companion animal, or a human, and increasing the growth performance of the offspring of the animal. In this embodiment, the growth performance can be selected from a group consisting of an increased growth rate of the offspring and a reduced feed to weight gain ratio for the offspring.
In still another embodiment, a method is provided of increasing the growth performance of an offspring of an animal. The method comprises the steps of administering to the animal a feed composition comprising a non-algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof, wherein the feed composition as a final mixture can comprise about 0.01% to about 90% by weight of the non-algal composition, wherein the animal is a species of agricultural animal, a companion animal, or a human, and increasing the growth performance of the offspring of the animal. In this embodiment, the growth performance can be selected from a group consisting of an increased growth rate of the offspring and a reduced feed to weight gain ratio for the offspring.
In another embodiment, a method is provided of increasing intestinal transport in an offspring of a swine. The method comprises the steps of administering to the swine a feed composition comprising a non-algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in the non-algal composition is about 30:1 to about 2:1.
In yet another embodiment, a method is provided of increasing the growth performance in an offspring of a swine. The method comprises the steps of administering to the swine a feed composition comprising a non-algal composition comprising omega-3 fatty acids or esters thereof wherein the docosahexaenoic acid to eicosapentaenoic acid ratio in the non-algal composition is about 30:1 to about 2:1.